


Cold pt.4

by NightCityFiction



Series: Cold (River Ward/V) [4]
Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Romance, TW:Injury Mention, tw:blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:20:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28879359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightCityFiction/pseuds/NightCityFiction
Summary: V goes to do the SOS gig Rogue gave her. The job was easy, though the emotional stress was more than she thought it would be.(Thank you so much for the love! I’m so happy y’all are enjoying my little story <3)
Relationships: Female V/River Ward, V/River Ward
Series: Cold (River Ward/V) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2109774
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	Cold pt.4

I pulled up to the warehouse and observed it. It was small with several entrances into it. The electric fence made it fit the bill of an abandoned warehouse as I could find several places to break through. I make my way to a part that’s easily concealed to the few scavs around in the yard and break the gate. I snuck into the warehouse and quickly found the control room, taking down the enemy in it. I deactivated the surveillance and security system and found a way to the basement by scanning through the camera feeds. I made my way down the maintenance shaft I found a short ways away from the office. This job was shaping up to be easy I thought.

Pulling out my gun I make my way through the basement around all of the scavs, taking out some in the hallway I was going down and disposing of them in containers. Suddenly at the end of the hall I find a door. I press my ear up to it and hear wails, grunts and a metallic voice asking the guy for a name, and says that all he wants is a name. The gonk obviously is not giving it up. I quietly open the door and short circuit the guy, sparks blowing out of his eye sockets. I make my way over to the man being held captive. His trousers and white shirt are caked in blood and dirt, hands and feet are tied to the chair and his head covered by a burlap sack.

“You’re not getting the info out of me so why don’t you just kill me already.” he spoke, his voice raspy and strained.

Then it hit me. The shirt, the trousers, and the voice were all familiar to me. I walked up to him and uncovered his face.

“River?” I asked. His face was battered. He had a black eye and there were cuts on his face. His nose had a dried blood streak running down from it.

“Val? Why the hell are you here? You shouldn’t be here.” He said, sounding upset.

“Jesus, Rogue sent me here. If I hadn’t come any sooner they would have snapped your neck, stabbed you or worse.” 

“Great, the guy who got me into this mess wants to pull me out.”

“I guess now let’s get you out of here.”

I pulled a knife out and cut him free. His gaze was empty staring at the wall on the other side of the room. I stood up wanting to get out of here as fast as possible. I expected to hear him walking behind me, but I glanced back when I didn’t hear footsteps.

“Val, can you just leave me here?” he croaked, a strained look in his face.

“Of course not, you’re getting out of here.” I said trying to comprehend what he meant, “look, let’s just get out of here and then we’ll talk.

“Valerie please, everything’s too much.”

“River, come with me. Think about Joss, the kids, Randy, all of them need you.”

He got up and made his way over. He was weak so I handed him an air hypo just for him to make it up the stairs. He hesitated for a minute, then stabbed it in his gut. We went through the path I cleared and made our way to a safe spot, waiting for the transport that Rogue was supposed to call. 

We sat down by another old warehouse close to the drop off point. In the sunlight I could see just how bad the damage was. There were slashes in his shirt where the bloody patches were. There was a deep gash on his eyebrow that I didn’t notice before. Both of the sets of knuckles on his hands were raw and bloody. My head was swimming. I just wanted to know why.

“Why didn’t you want me to save you?” I said, breaking the thick silence.

He just sat there looking at his legs. I sat in front of him and gently put my hand on his face bringing it to look at mine.

“Look at me, actually look at me,” I whispered, “Don’t look at me being harassed from across the bar, or as I’m riding away on a motorcycle. Look into my eyes and tell me what the hell is going on with you?”

He turned his gaze up to mine, still silent but for a moment, he allowed it to soften. For a moment he allowed the ice to thaw. He brought his hand up to mine and rubbed his thumb along it. He took a deep inhale and sighed long and hard.

“I can’t tell you Val. I don’t want to put everything on you. I didn’t want you to get wrapped up into this.” he said, eyebrows furrowing and increasing emotion filling his face.

“You’re an amazing PI,” I said, feeling the sadness and anger well up, “everyone in the Afterlife tells me how amazing you are. Why don’t you have Trauma Team? Why isn’t anyone coming to save you and you have to have a dirty, filthy merc rescue you? Why do you shut yourself off? Why do you drown in women and liquor when you’re not at work? I know about it all River. Why aren’t you taking care of yourself?”

I start crying and I bring my hand away from his face. I curl up into a ball, hugging my knees into my chest.

“What happened to my River? The River who would call me baby, spend so much time with Joss and the kids, fight for justice, fight for the ones he loves, fight for himself. I used to feel like I knew you. Now it’s like I’m meeting you for the first time and I don’t know what to think.” I sobbed.

Just then the van pulled up and I got up and started walking away. I heard the gravel crunch behind me, knowing his eyes were glued to me watching me walk away yet again. I thought maybe that would be the last time. Rogue called me and I immediately hung up on her. I didn’t want to hear what anyone had to say. She transferred me money and, she was right it was an exorbitant reward, 250,000 cold hard eddies. I couldn't believe it. I wish I could have just told her to return it to the client. She sent me a message and told me I did a good job as always. 

I hailed a cab and headed home, not waiting to drive. The sun was setting and I watched it crawl behind the buildings. The sky turned a peachy shade of pink. A headache came on and ruined it.

A half an hour later I arrived at home. I opened the door and collapsed on the floor. I couldn’t tell whether the headache was from the procedure, or because I had my emotions pour out of me and now there was nothing left. I stand up and go to the shower. I turn on the shower, the hot water scalding my skin. I hopelessly wait for a text, a call, or something from him. Nothing ever comes though. At best he was taken to the hospital to get his wounds treated. If he was taken home, I hoped at least the children wouldn’t see him like that. He would make sure of that right? I truly and honestly didn’t know anymore.

I walk out of the shower, throw on a t-shirt and go to look out the window. I think back about going with Panam. How River said he had a duty to this stupid fucking city and now, the city has gone and swallowed him up too. And me, I was the stupid fucking girl who fell in love with him.

\------

The next morning I feel like I’m floating in the void. I order an old burrito from the vending machine and just stare off into space. The news is the same, the people are the same, and this city is just the fucking same. Why did I think it would be a fairytale ending? River would sweep me up in his dumb strong arms and we would live happily ever after having the family we talked about dreaming of.

I get a text from Joss that read: “Hey V, Randy’s out of the hospital. He got discharged yesterday and is now up to meeting the woman who saved him. Could you come over when you get the chance? It would mean a lot to him.” 

I text back a yes and get dressed, packing up my things in the process. Maybe it’ll be my last time going there. Maybe this will be my last night in NC. All I know is, at least I’ll get to tell Joss and the kids goodbye.


End file.
